On Tuesday (June 12th), the Obama Administration alleged that Russia is sending attack helicopters to President Bashar Assad's regime and warned that the Arab country's 15-month conflict could become even deadlier. Read more »
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In the past few days, we have seen promising signs that the P5 + 1 and Iran are close to an agreement on Iran’s dual-use nuclear program. Read more »
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There is no public proof that Iran intends to build a bomb and no good reason to impose crippling sanctions. Such sanctions will only decrease the U.S.’s influence on Iran, while they increase Russia’s. Several U.S. media outlets and US Representative Howard Berman (D-CA) wrongly said that the September 25 public acknowledgement of Iran’s secret enrichment facility in Qum, capable of holding 3,000 centrifuges, is proof that Iran intends to build a nuclear weapon. This is additional proof that Iran broke its international obligations, but these sources do not prove that Iran intends to build a nuclear weapon. These facilities can be used to produce low enriched uranium for nuclear reactor fuel, or highly enriched uranium for the core of a nuclear weapon. Read more »
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Iran just sent the United States a positive response to engage in dialogue over political, security and economic issues. In this latest Iranian package proposal for constructive negotiations, Iran attempts to persuade us that the unilateral and militaristic ways of old lead to the economic crisis and security dilemmas we face today, and that only an unbiased multilateral approach to negotiations will succeed in easing tension in Iran’s relations with the United States. Read more »

A new International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report is out on Iran. Here is some new information about Iran’s enrichment capabilities, since the last June report: Read more »

The Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009, or 'the Berman Bill,' after the original sponsor in the House of Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA), now has a place in the Senate (S.908) with support from 21 Senators. The Bill looks to push Iran into further isolation from the international community by cutting its oil and gas trade off. Isolating Iran will spur more illegal trade in Iran, increase the threat Iran perceives from the West and give the nation more of a reason to build a nuclear weapon as a security assurance. Read more »
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August 4, to the shock of Iran experts, White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said that President Obama recognized Iran’s contested election of President Ahmadinejad, but then retracted the statement. When asked point blank August 4 if the administration recognized Ahmadinejad as the legitimate President of Iran, Gibbs responded that “He [Ahmadinejad] is the elected leader.” Read more »

With two Iran Amendments to the $679.8 billion National Defense Authorization Act and one to the $33.3 billion Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, Congress looks to grasp some oversight on U.S.-Iran policy. As Iran’s political stability after its June 2009 elections continues to deteriorate, these proposed actions could hurt the reformist movement that Congress would like to support. Congress should instead hold off on taking action until it is clear who will ultimately hold power in Iran for the long term. Read more »
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The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) will guest post a few of PSR's Iran entries. The first one is called "Rafsanjani Has Not Caved." Read more »

The most important thing to note at this time is a growing rift between power players in Iran and that violence towards protestors is intensifying. Read more »

Fires, tear gas and blood are flowing in Tehran today (June 20), but the crowds are thinner than expected. The Green Movement (made of reformist supporters in Iran) is being seriously beaten by police. At least 100 people have been seriously injured. European and Australian Embassies have opened up for the injured in Tehran. Read more »

Students were stabbed to death Sunday in their dormitory at Tehran University by Basij (an arm of the Revolutionary Guards). The Iranian government is silent on the issue, but it is starting to hit the news. Academics are resigning because of the killings, and Speaker of Parliament, Ali Larijani is calling for an inquiry from the Interior Ministry into the killings. Read more »

At 12:05 Mecca time Iran’s Supreme Leader spoke to the people. He was with supporters of Ahmadinejad. I will put up an analysis with a shorter summary soon. Here is most of the text translated into English this morning live from my notes, of course it is not perfect, since it went from Farsi/Persian to English: Read more »

On June 18 at 2:50pm an anonymous and reliable twitter from inside Iran gave us a quick translation of Mousavi’s speech to the people: I have come due to concerns of current political and social conditions - to defend the rights of the nation. I have come to improve Iran’s international relations. I have come to tell the world and get back Iran’s pride, our dignity and our future. Read more »
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Iran’s reformist supporters of Presidential Candidate Mousavi took to the streets and were pushed back by Iranian police June 13 (picture at TMP). Seven people were killed. This is getting really sad and extremely frustrating. Read more »

Looks like incumbent President Ahmadinejad is going to be called the winner of Iran’s Presidential race. Ahmadinejad must win over 50% of the votes to declare victory in this first round. If not, he will have to run a second time against reformist candidate Mousavi. Mousavi will have a greater chance to win if there is a second round. Read more »

North Korea stunned the international community with a second nuclear test Monday, but thanks to test ban treaty technology, thorough analyses were provided to our national leaders. Read more »

Wednesday and Thursday the NPT parties began, and concluded, speaking on "Cluster One" issues (nuclear disarmament and security assurances). U.S.-Iranian disagreement surfaced as a major hurdle to success at the 2010 NPT Review Conference. Read more »

A Congressional testimony, called "Changing Iran's behavior" by Dr. Trita Parsi, is one of the most concise and comprehensive explanations of why more sanctions (in the form of divestment) will not provoke positive change in Iran's government. Read more »

President Obama signed the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, H.R. 1105, which continues the policy shift away from the build up of nuclear weapons and toward efforts to stabilize U.S. relations throughout the world. Read more »